Help with Ireland itinerary
 

My spouse and I are making plans for a 16-day trip to Ireland in August. We have not purchased airfare or made overnight reservations yet but it looks like we'll fly into Shannon (enabling us to catch a local music festival) and out of Dublin. This DRAFT itinerary reflects advice from our Irish-born neighbors. They are of the opinion that we should spend more time in fewer places rather than trying to do too much. We agree, although this is our first trip to Ireland and we want to see what we can in the limited time available. Before locking in reservations, we would greatly appreciate other travelers' thoughts on the below itinerary, including the advisability of exploration by car versus public transportation for various parts of the trip. We are flexible so feel free to fire away if you think this is too much, not enough, or whatever:

Thursday, Aug. 9
DAY 1-Fly to Shannon overnight

Friday, Aug. 10
DAY 2-Arrive Shannon in a.m.
• Pick up rental car
• Drive to Kinvarra
• Feakle Music Festival (highly recommended by our neighbor)
OVERNIGHT: Kinvarra

Saturday, Aug. 11
• Explore Kinvarra and vicinity
• Feakle Music Festival
OVERNIGHT: Kinvarra

Sunday, Aug. 12
DAY 4:
• Day trip by car into "the Burren”
• See Cliffs of Moher
OVERNIGHT: Kinvarra

Monday, Aug. 13
DAY 5: Drive to Galway
• Explore Galway
OVERNIGHT: Galway

Tuesday, Aug. 14
DAY 6: Galway
• Explore Galway and vicinity by car
OVERNIGHT: Galway

Wednesday, Aug. 15
DAY 7: Galway
• Explore Galway and vicinity by car
OVERNIGHT: Galway

Thursday, Aug. 16
DAY 8: Inishmore (Aran Islands)
• Ferry from Galway to Inishmore
• Explore Inishmore/Dun Aenghus
OVERNIGHT Inishmore

Friday, Aug. 17
DAY 9: Inishmore to Dublin
• Ferry back to Galway
• Turn in rental car
• Train Galway to Dublin
OVERNIGHT Dublin

Saturday, Aug. 18
DAY 10: Dublin
• Explore Dublin
OVERNIGHT Dublin

Sunday, Aug. 19
DAY 11: Day trip to Belfast
• Train to Belfast
• Explore city/Titanic Exhibition
• Day trips Antrim Glens, Giant’s Causeway?
OVERNIGHT Belfast

Monday, Aug. 20
DAY 12: Train back to Dublin
• Explore Dublin
OVERNIGHT Dublin

Tuesday, Aug. 21
DAY 13: Day trip to Kilkenny
• Explore Kilkenny
• Visit Rock of Cashel?
OVERNIGHT: Kilkenny

Wednesday, Aug. 22
DAY 14: Kilkenny
• Explore Kilkenny
OVERNIGHT: Kilkenny

Thursday, Aug. 23
DAY 15: Dublin
• Train Kilkenny back to Dublin
OVERNIGHT: Near Dublin Airport

Friday, Aug. 24
DAY 16: Fly home from Dublin

This looks like a great, leisurely itinerary to me. I'm topping so perhaps others will comment. I like the idea of using a few places as a base, and making daytrips from there. Also a good use of public transportation.

Is there any reason why you are going to Dublin three separate times?

I understand the Dublin thing. Looks like a good trip to me.

OK Feakle is 1/2 hour from me down the Slieve Aughty and Kinvara is 1 hour from me in the opposite direction.

You could stay some where close by. around Lough Derg. I doubt you would get a place in the Village as places are booked one year for the next by visitors from all over Ireland and the rest of the world.

Are you thinking of Killaloe/Ballina rather than Kinvara? as this would be a good base. Ennis would also be a great base to explore the whole of county Clare. Scarriff and Mountshannon are other bases for Feakle but not Ideal for touring over the coast.

http://www.feaklefestival.ie/
http://www.discoverloughderg.ie/MapZone/LoughDerg-West/

Possibly have a couple of nights for the festival and the South/East of Clare, East Galway.

Then to Kinvara for the Sunday night and Monday night for the top end of the Burren and the eastern part of Galaway including Athenry.

Head out west to Connamara and a couple of nights in Clifden before heading over to the Arans. (email me and I will return a part of my work in progress guide for this part. NOT at this time for publication in open forum)

Thats my Locale out of the way and the rest of your plans look just fine.

This Forum NEEDS an EDIT button. Galway. not Galaway (typo)

Thank you all! BTW, our overnight plans for Kinvarra are because the owner is a cousin to our neighbor. We have never met her (although she has visited here in the U.S.) and I don't know if she has availability. We are still figuring that out, as of today.